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Lucroy, Peralta help Brewers beat Mets 3-1

NEW YORK - Jonathan Lucroy had three hits and Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning to send the Milwaukee Brewers past the slumping New York Mets 3-1 Wednesday night.

Lucroy doubled twice and drove in a run, raising his batting average to .341. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura each had an RBI as the NL Central leaders wore down Jacob deGrom (0-3), still looking for his win after six mostly solid starts.

The shaggy-haired rookie was lifted in the sixth after throwing 80 strikes in 107 pitches. But he got little help from his teammates as New York lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Mets manager Terry Collins made it halfway through the latest defeat, ejected in the fifth for arguing a replay ruling. The attendance of 20,170 marked the smallest crowd at Citi Field this season - for the second consecutive night.

Peralta (6-5) used a 96-98 mph fastball and his nasty slider to hold scuffling David Wright and the punchless Mets to four hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander won his second consecutive start following a four-game losing streak.

It was the second time Peralta has shut down the Mets. He beat them 3-0 with eight innings of two-hit ball at Miller Park on Sept. 16, 2012.

Will Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ex-Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez got three quick outs for his 20th save in 22 attempts. First baseman Mark Reynolds made a diving catch to end it, one of several excellent defensive plays by the Brewers.

Milwaukee has won nine of 14 overall.

In his second game since moving into the leadoff spot, Scooter Gennett gave the Brewers a pair of pesky at-bats that paid off.

He saw a total of 16 pitches during his first two trips to the plate and got a hit both times. After a double to start the third, he scored on an RBI groundout by Lucroy.

With the score tied in the fourth, Mets left fielder Curtis Granderson misplayed Aramis Ramirez's leadoff double. Segura tried to squeeze home a run with one out, but bunted foul. On the next pitch, he lined an RBI single to snap a 2-for-28 skid.

Lucroy's fifth-inning double sent Ryan Braun to third. He scored on Gomez's infield single to make it 3-1.

Taylor Teagarden was called out on a bang-bang play at first to open the bottom half. Collins challenged, and the crowd cheered when replays appeared to show Teagarden was safe by a hair.

But the call stood upon review, bringing a confounded Collins out of the dugout again. He gestured toward the big video board in center field and was given some leeway during the discussion before getting tossed by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom.

Managers are not allowed to argue replay rulings.

Due to some shabby defense, it took deGrom 31 pitches and three strikeouts to get through the first inning. He whiffed Ramirez and Khris Davis with the bases loaded to escape unscathed.

Lucas Duda's sacrifice fly put the Mets ahead 1-0 in the second.

Braun was thrown out at the plate when he tried to score from first on Lucroy's seventh-inning double to right-center.

NOTES: Gomez has reached safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Milwaukee must decide by Friday whether to return LHP Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder surgery) from his rehab assignment or keep him on the disabled list. ... Mets RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to make his next start after getting hit in the leg with a line drive during Tuesday night's win. Matsuzaka will remain in the rotation at least until RHP Dillon Gee (strained lat) returns, Collins said. ... Teagarden earned another start after hitting a grand slam in his Mets debut Tuesday. Anthony Recker will probably catch LHP Jonathon Niese on Thursday night, Collins said. ... Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.27 ERA) faces Niese (3-3, 2.68) in the series finale. Lohse was riding a seven-game winning streak before getting hit hard in a 15-5 loss at Pittsburgh last Friday. He is 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in three starts at Citi Field.

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